Q&A for How to Sing Using Your Diaphragm

This shouldn't impair your diaphragm, though it may impact your lung capacity. For the best answer, ask your doctor.

Most likely not. Your voice can be affected by a lot of factors. For instance, if you have a cold, or if you've been eating a lot of foods that produce heavy mucus (like dairy), that can affect the notes you're able to reach.

You can usually feel an effort when you're singing a difficult or prolonged note, like you're exercising. If you feel this in your throat, and your throat is hurting or getting hoarse, that can indicate you're singing through your throat. The singing should just pass through your throat, while there should be some feeling of effort in the stomach. If your singing voice sounds much different when you plug your nose, you're doing it wrong.

No. Your diaphragm works from inside your body, and and any extra fat will not affect a muscle. Being overweight will not affect how you sing.

Make sure you're drinking a lot of water to lubricate your vocal cords and warming up. After singing, try doing cool-down exercises. If you sing for a long period of time and stop abruptly, it will affect your voice. Proper technique is also needed. Make sure your legs are shoulder-width apart, and you're breathing through your diaphragm and not your throat. Don't over-sing either, for this stresses out your voice. Don't push your voice to do things you haven't warmed up for it to do.

It depends on the exercise. For singing, the breathing out is done through the mouth, fine and high. Breathing in is best through the mouth, as you place it higher that way.

Ask someone that you trust to be honest with you. A family member or friend may want to tell you that you're good even if you aren't, so let them know they'll be helping you if they are honest. If someone like that isn't available, record yourself singing, and then play it back - you should be able to tell how good you are once you distance yourself.

Actually no, you just breathe as if you are lying down. Look at how when you lie down, you breathe with your stomach (diaphragm) and it gets big instead of your chest. Just do that, not pushing.

Your belly should expand a little forward during inhalation and you should feel great support from your abdominal muscles. Make sure to keep your shoulders down while inhaling.

If you put your hands just below your rib cage and make a 'tsk' sound, you should be able to feel it push out. Whenever you're singing just use your hand to spot and see if your stomach is pushing out.

When you yawn, it means that your body is trying to get more oxygen into your system faster. Try breathing at a steadier rate while singing and you should yawn less.

If you are experiencing sharp pain, you are not using the correct technique. If you mean your rib cage muscles ache after prolonged singing, that is normal. Singing is athletic, and there are normal muscle aches associated with it. I use arnica montana in a homeopathic dose, which helps greatly.

Don't drink cold, sugary or fizzy drinks. Instead, drink something like tea or warm water.

That's a very good question. The answer is, sometimes. You don't want them tightened all the time. If you go by the book, you want your throat relaxed, and your stomach relaxed, but you have to use your stomach and your diaphragm, so it's going to to get tense there, but not so tense you are straining.

No, never hold your breath while singing from the diaphragm, and remember that tightening the diaphragm isn't a good thing because you could damage the muscle.

If your chest hurts, stop doing that exercise. There are plenty of vocal and breathing exercises you can do that won't cause pain, but keep in mind that some slight pain might be expected in the chest due to opening and stretching those muscles in new ways.

The diaphragm is what gives you support when you sing. It allows you to sustain notes, belt it out, etc. Without using it, you will have no breath control.

You can't -- it takes practice and time. However, consistent daily practice would be a great start!

This could be hyperventilation, not at all because you are new to the exercises. A lot of brass players get it as well, due to the very deep breaths they take. When this happens, sit down and just wait till it passes. It might be good to talk to your doctor.

If you sing from your throat, then you can do long term damage to your vocal chords. Also, you have more control over your voice if you sing from your diaphragm.

It's not necessarily "bad" depending on the song, but you should learn how to avoid it. Don't push too hard on getting higher notes, and try to keep your throat open.

You may be coughing, because you're singing through your throat. Try singing with your diaphragm more often. If that doesn't work, try drinking warm water or tea, and start trying again.

Maybe you are just being relaxed, which is actually good. You should be breathing as you would when you're sleeping. Remember, while breathing through your diaphragm is important, there are other little tricks, such as yawning and lip trills.

While singing, it's common to life the neck up, which can affect your voice. So make sure to keep your head in the normal position while singing.

Don't lift or lower your larynx, as it can damage your voice. You want to maintain a neutral larynx to give out the most power and proper notes. Only sing within your vocal range or get proper training before singing notes out of your range.

Practice the "milkshake." You basically suck in as much air as possible. The more you practice, the more air you can suck in. As you get more experienced, try setting a time limit and holding a note for a longer period of time. For example, you have 2 seconds to suck in as much air as possible, then you have to hold the note for 16 seconds.

You could be using the wrong muscle. And if so you are using that muscle too much. You could also be putting too much force on it. Try next time to relax and sing properly.

Be careful not to push yourself too hard or sing out of your range. It can help to try "pinching" your derriere as if you are trying to prevent a bowel movement.

It depends on how much time and effort you put into these exercises. As ridiculous as it sounds, imagine your mouth is on your belly and try singing through it.

Start practicing for 30 minutes daily. If necessary, increase that time once you've become more comfortable with your routine.